January 3, 2002

GOD LOVED THE WORLD SO MUCH!

"God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, that everyone who has faith in Him may not die but have eternal life. It was not to judge the world that God sent His Son into the world, but that through Him the world might be saved" (John 3:16, 17, NEB).

"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love... This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you" (John 15:9-14, NKJV).

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord... It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us" (Romans 8:35-39, 34).

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!... Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [to make reconciliation] for our sins" (1 John 3:1; 4:7-10). Can you comprehend the value that God placed on us in that He was willing to send His Son to be our Saviour?

My Prayer Today: Lord, help me to know You that I may know Your love and be able to share it with others.